Elizabeth Dale

I began writing magazine fiction and have sold thousands of stories all over the world, but when my daughters were born and I started reading to them, I was reminded just how wonderful children's books are, and decided to try writing them myself. They are the most fun of all and I have had over twenty books published from picture books up to novels for up to age 12.

Some of them deal with issues I have faced with my own children such as a pet dying - Scrumpy (Andersen) or an over-adveturous hamster - Hammy (Orchard), others like Don't Get Dirty Gertie (Bloomsbury), When Betsy Came To Babysit (Tamarind) and The Carrot Cake Catastrophe (Gullane)are just pure fun. Wouldn't you try to get away with all kinds of craziness if your babysitter says she has never babysat before? And would you want to eat a carrot cake made by a little rabbit who can't read yet and her grandfather who can't see properly - because his glasses are covered in flour? Is catastrophe inevitable?

Other books I've written that are due out soon are Rory's Robot (Franklin Watts), My Secret Alien (Egmont) and Off to Market! (Frances Lincoln) - a rhyming picture book prompted by my own experience of an extremely crowded minibus journey in Uganda - shared with villagers, furniture and assorted animals!